Method of engraving an article of jewelry



Dec 24, 1968 J. EILERS 3,418,407

METHOD OF ENGRAVING AN ARTICLE 0F JEWELRY Filed June 13, 1966 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l www L/NOTYPE LUDLOW Dcn 24, 1968 J. EILERs 3,418,407

METHOD F ENGRAVING AN ARTICLE OF JEWELRY Filed June 13, 1966 2 sheets-sheet a United States Patent O 3,418,407 METHOD OF ENGRAVING AN ARTICLE OF JEWELRY Jerry Eilers, Elmwood Park, Ill. N. Wabash, Chicago, Ill. 60602) Filed June 13, 1966, Ser. No. 556,926 Claims. (Cl. 264-219) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of engraving an article of jewelry comprising forming a -group of mats into a predetermined array to form an inscription, forming a lmold cavity shaped correspondingly to the shape of said array and casting the article inside said cavity and removing the final article from the mold.

The present invention relates to a method of engraving.

The invention relates to a method of engraving particularly adapted to jewelry 'which involves inexpensive steps, Iwhereby a piece of jewelry of precious metal can be made much less expensivcly than heretofore.

More specifically, the method eliminates specially cutting of dies or models, such as has been done heretofore. Previously, a model would be cut by machine, and then touched up or finished by hand. Normally such a model would not be produced for one piece of jewelry, because of prohibitive cost, and would be produced for example for only fifty or more pieces. The present method provides for forming such models by preformed mats or matrices which are of permanent nature and can be reused indefinitely in forming the models. The method may utilize what is known as a Linotype, or may utilize a Ludlow, each of which produces lead slugs of conventional character, these slugs servinlg as models from which the ultimate and final engraved article is made.

Another advantage of the method, in addition to the extremely small cost of producing the article, resides in the fact that the final article is of far more uniformity and accuracy, and is in fact perfect, and the final article is correspondingly perfect without the usual imperfections occasioned by the human element in cutting models and dies as has heretofore been the case.

The invention, in one form, utilizes a wax model for forming the cavity in an investment mold, the Iwax being melted therefrom in the usual way; the invention also includes a novel method which entirely eliminates the wax model step and instead utilizes the lead slu-g formed by the mats for directly forming the cavity in the investment material.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detail description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE l includes a group of views of a final article made according to the method of the present invention, as represented by a ring;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic viewsI indicating the use of a machine for forming a slug which is utilized as a model for for-ming the engraved article;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a number of Linotype mats, and a slug formed thereby;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken at line 4 4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view, partially in section, showing the slug of FIGURES 3 and 4 utilized in a mold for casting a wax model;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken at line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a side View showing the 'wax model formed in the device of FIGURES 5 and 6 and indicating 3,418,407 Patented Dec. 24, 1968 in dot-dash lines a shaped condition of the model according to the intended shape of the final article;

FIGURE 8 shows the shaped :wax model of FIGURE 7 embedded in investment material;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective View, similar to FIGURE 3, but illustrating a modified form of the invention;

FIGURE l0 is a side view of the slu-g formed as represented in FIGURE 9; and

FIGURE l1 shows the shaped slug of FIGURE l0 embedded in a mold of investment material.

Detail reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, and particularly to FIGURES l to 8 thereof illustrating one form of the invention. FIGURE 1 shows a finger ring 12 which represents an article of jewelry that can be made by the method of the present invention although the invention is not limited to a ring. The ring bears an inscription 14 which in the assumed illustration consists of personal names, but instead it may be provided rwith other inscriptions, or figures or decorations.

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a machine 16 utilized for selecting the -mats or matrices for the inscription, these mats bein-g utilized in forming a model which replaces or supplants the model heretofore used in producing engraved jewelry, such previous model heretofore being made by hand, or finished by hand, by a die maker, the operation being extremely time consuming and correspondingly expensive. The machine 16 may be what is known as a Lud1ow, having a plurality of the mats 18 .which are selected by hand and assembled in a holder `or stick 20 to form the intended inscription. The stick is then incorporated in a mold 22 to form a lead slug 24. If desired however, the machine 16 may be a Linotype of iknown kind in the use of which the mats are released by actuation of a keyboard, and they then slide down chutes into a holder represented here by the same -holder 20. These mats are then used in the mold 22 to form the slug 24. In either case the slug is of the same `kind produced for printing operations.

The inscription 26 on the slug is the reverse of the inscription to be produced on the ring and when the latter is to be in relief for example the inscription on the slug is in intaglio. In such case the mats 18 are provided with characters 2S in relief.

After making the slug 24, it is utilized in a mold for producing a wax model. Such a mold is shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 in which the slug is gripped between a pair of jaws 30 of a suitable clamp or vise 32, in position spaced from the top of the jaws, and between the tips of the latter a block 34 is positioned, having a reduced portion 36 extending down between the jaws and a larger body portion 38 resting on top of the jaws. The reduced portion 36 is so dimensioned as to leave a space or cavity 40 between itself and the slug which is filled with wax 42 injected in a suitable manner from a nozzle 44, the latter being sealed in a suitable manner such as by an annular gasket 46 fitted in grooves in the jaws.

In accordance with a novel feature of the invention the surfaces of the cavity 40 are coated with a suitable material such as polytetrafluoroethylene, sometimes marketed under the trade name of Teonj as a release agent, before injecting the wax into the cavity. Heretofore it has not been possible to form a wax model in a cavity formed of metal (the jaws 30 and block 34 being of metal) and it was necessary to resort to the expensive additional step of forming a rubber mold from the main model which included curing the rubber and encasing it in another confining member. In the practice of the present invention the wax can be introduced directly into the cavity 40 formed of the metal and it is readily released therefrom upon separation of the jaws 30, i.e., opening of the mold.

The clamp or vise 32 is accurately shaped, and the slug 24 and reduced projection 36 accurately dimensioned for effectively gripping of the later two elements in the vise. The slug is made preferably slightly thicker than the projection 36 and, being relatively soft, it yields upon the application of force on the vise so that it is tightly gripped and a tight seal is made with the projection 36. Thus a tight cavity is formed for effectively injecting the wax thereinto.

The wax 42 upon cooling and consequent solidification, forms a wax model 48 having an inscription 5t) made up of the characters represented on the lead slug 24 but of course in reverse therefrom and in the present instance, in relief.

The wax model 48 is thereupon utilized in an investment mold 52 of known kind. The wax model may be utilized in its original form, such as a straight bar, but it is contemplated in the present instance that it can be formed or worked, itself, into the shape of the finished article, or ring before utilizing it in the investment mold. This feature will be referred to again hereinbelow. In order to shape the wax model into the desired shape such as shown at 48a it is heated to the desired temperature and appropriately worked into the shape.

The wax model regardless whether in straight form or circular form is mounted on a base in a known manner and encased in investment material indicated at 54. The mold 52 upon hardening of the investment material is heated for melting the wax which then runs out leaving a cavity 56 and a sprue 58 formed by the stem utilized for holding the wax model, which itself is wax, this step also being known. As a final step the precious metal such as gold, is injected into the cavity 56 in a known manner. such as by a centrifugal casting operation and upon solidification thereof the investment material is broken apart exposing the final casting, or article of jewelry, to be made.

When the wax model 48 is worked into the shape 48a of the intended final article, no further work need be done on the final article except to remove the stem formed in the sprue 58. However when the wax model is utilized in straight form, the resulting casting made from the precious metal is in correspondingly straight form and that item must be shaped or worked into the final shape, which is more exacting than in the case of working the wax into that shape.

In producing engraved jewelry heretofore, the original model, corresponding to the slug 24, was formed by machine and then finished by hand which is extremely time consuming and correspondingly expensive, the more so considering the high wage rates demanded by die cutters. In the present instance however the lead slug 24 can be very inexpensively made, as is known by those acquainted with operating a Linotype or Ludlow, it is Very inexpensive because of the material used, as contrasted with die cut models, and it is quickly made. Moreover the characters forming the inscription 26 are accurate, and uniform, without the irregularities due to the human element such as would occur when the inscriptions are individually and manually produced. For example, when the same letter appears twice in succession even the smallest irregularities or differences would immediately show up because of the close association therebetween, while in the practice of the present invention the letters are always uniform and of course always accurate. As an example of the great saving in cost realized in the practice of the present invention a ring such as represented in FIGURE l, made of precious metal, may be produced for in the neighborhood of as contrasted with the cost of around $100 for a ring made according to methods in use heretofore.

The invention also includes utilizing set type for making the slug 24, instead of forming it by means of a Linotype or Ludlow.

The characters 28 on the mats 18 may be of any desired kind, i.e., whether letters or other configurations, or whether relief or intaglio, according to the desired effect on the finished article. Additionally each mat 18 may be utilized for a single and separate and complete character but each may be less than a single character or even more than a single character, in the former case two or more together may make up a single character in the model 24 while in the latter case a single mat may form more than one character thereon. The inscription on an article is not limited to a single line, but may consist of a plurality of lines, as shown in FIGURE l, an individual mat forming an element in a single line, for example. Additionally the mats 18 may be made deeper or shallower according to a persons desires. Furthermore, they may be constructed so as to completely penetrate through, or pierce, the ring, leaving a corresponding hole therein which may be utilized in a design. Another great advantage of the invention is that different skills are not required for cutting different kinds of inscriptions. For example one person adept at cutting Arabic letters may not be proficient at cutting Hebrew letters or Chinese letters etc., while in the use of the present invention the separate skills may be utilized in forming the mats 18 and thereafter a semi-skilled person may make an article of jewelry that is perfect.

Attention is next directed to FIGURES 9, l0, and ll representing a modified form of the invention. In the present instance the lead slug itself is used as a model for forming the cavity in the mold of investment material, which entirely eliminates the intermediate use of a rubber model.

In the present instance mats 60 are provided, but with forming faces 62 in the opposite configuration from that of the previous form of the invention, for a given kind of inscription to be produced on the final article, i.e., for an item of jewelry having a relief inscription, the mats 18 in the first embodiment would have relief forming faces, while the mats 60 in the present case would have intaglio forming faces. In the present instance the lead slug 64 is of the same dimensions as the intended final article; for example, in the case of a ring the depth of the lead slug would be the same as the thickness in radial direction of the ring to be formed and thus of considerably less depth than as represented in FIGURE 3.

The lead slug 64 is then embedded in the mold 68 of investment material, either in straight form or in shaped form, in the same manner as described above in connection with the model 42. The lead slug 64 is formed to the desired shape by the application of heat thereto to soften it, and then shaped. The lead is removed from the investment material by heating the mold to in the neighborhood of 1500 F., the mold retaining its integrity and the lead melting and running out, leaving the cavity as described above. The elimination of the step of forming a wax model is a further great cost advantage particularly in the saving of time.

While I have herein disclosed a preferred form of the invention, it will be understood that changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of engraving an article of jewelry comprising utilizing a series of mats each defining a character, the characters together being adapted to make up an inscription to be reproduced on the article, placing the mats in an assembly with the characters thereon in a common surface arranged in predetermined order to form the desired inscription, having a mold cavity shaped correspondingly to the shape of said assembly, and molding the article in said cavity.

2. The method set out in claim 1 and including the step of providing a quantity of moldable material and applying it to said surface of the mats whereby that surface forms a mold element, solidifying the moldable material thereby forming a model including said mold element which has an inscription corresponding to the inscription on said mats, and utilizing said model to form said cavity.

3. The method set out in claim 1 wherein each mat has a character that is random relative to the other characters, and including the step of selecting them according to a predetermined pattern to form the inscription.

4. The method set out in claim 1 applied to the engraving of a plurality of articles and wherein the mats are of permanent nature and including the steps of providing such a series of the mats that include a plurality of each of at least some of the characters, and reusing the mats in the production of successive articles.

5. The method set out in claim 4 and including the steps of placing the mats in a magazine with those having each kind of character together, selecting mats from the magazine serially having necessary characters for forming a predetermined inscription and automatically conveying them pursuant to the selection thereof to an assembly position and there placing them in the assembly in the order of their selection, and after their utilization in forming the cavity returning them to the magazine.

6. The method set out in claim 2 and including the steps of utilizing mats of permanent nature and of relatively hard metal, utilizing relatively soft and low-meltingpoint metal as the moldable material and forming the engraved article of precious metal.

7. The method set out in claim 1 applied to the engraving of a plurality of articles and wherein the mats are of permanent nature and including the steps of providing a quantity of moldable material in fluid condition and consisting of low-melting-point metal, and applying it to said surface of the mats and solidifying it to form a metal model having a forming surface with an inscription corresponding to that on said surface of the metal mats, incorporating the model in a rst mold having a metal-surface cavity one side of which is formed by said forming surface on the metal model, applying a coating of release material on the surface of said cavity, filling the cavity with uid wax and soldifying it to form a wax model, removing the wax model from that cavity and encasing it in investment material, heating the encased wax model and melting it and causing it to run out and leave a cavity, and injecting uid precious metal into the cavity of the investment material and solidifying it to form the nal article with an inscription thereon corresponding to the inscription on said mats, and removing the nal article from the investment material.

8. The method set out in claim 1 wherein the article to be engraved is of predetermined shape, and including the steps of forming a first model from the matrices on which the inscription is in a rst shape, forming a wax model from the first model, shaping the wax model according to the predetermined shape of the nal article, forming a cavity according to the thus shaped Wax model, and casting material in that cavity to form the final article.

9. The method set out in claim 1 and including the step of forming a metal model from the mats, utilizing the metal model in a mold of investment material to form a cavity therein, removing the metal from the cavity thus formed by application of heat thereto and melting it and enabling it to ow out, and casting the nal article in such cavity.

10. The method set out in claim 9 wherein the metal model is made from lead, and shaped to the intended shaped of the iinal article, and in such shape embedded in the mold of investment material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,156,836 5/1939 Boutwell 264-220 2,830,343 4/ 1958 Shroyer. 3,141,915 7/1964 Nieuwenhuis et al. 264221 3,291,882 12/1966 Warner 264-300 3,318,240 5/1967 Boggess 264-130 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,517 5/ 1909 Great Britain.

IULIUS FROME, Primary Examiner.

J. R. THURLOW, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

